


Grinning Ghost

by Kharasma



Category: Boy Meets World
Genre: Halloween, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-31
Updated: 2015-10-31
Packaged: 2018-04-26 07:08:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4994953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kharasma/pseuds/Kharasma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eric Matthews is not the most convincing of frights, but that's just fine by him: his eyes are on a much bigger prize this year.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Grinning Ghost

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cinaed](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cinaed/gifts).



> This piece is set vaguely within Season 6, but I'm taking canon in broad strokes. It's a time of magic and monsters and a little too much fun for the boys---and that's pretty much the gist of it.

T'was the night of All Hallow's Eve. All was quiet in the McGuire/Hunter/Matthews apartment, but within the hour, it was told, a frightfully delightful night of (supposedly) scary film-viewing would begin. The problem, of course, was that they'd all procrastinated with the preparations. Food? Rachel had discovered that morning that they had nothing but dust and cobwebs for breakfast, and Eric had given her strict instructions not to come back until they could fill their gullets entirely with ghost and goblin-shaped pastries. Costumes? Jack was hunting through the abandoned closets of his college buddies (and their parents). He could've thrown money at the problem, and he'd offered, but Eric had given him a Look.

"Money doesn't buy happiness, Jack! This holiday's about making stuff with your hands. From the heart." Eric had admonished him.

"No, but it buys fake blood and broomsticks," Jack had argued. Eric had the wrong holiday in mind to boot.

"Yeah, welll...I forbid you to spend any money. You're supposed to take stuff from Mom's old bin and cut holes in it! Well...except maybe not that white sheet with the lace. She wasn't too happy that year. Point is: no money, Jack. Grab stuff! You know we need that money for game tickets," he added. "But go on, get!"

"...okay," and Jack didn't know just why he was listening, but he obediently set off with a garbage bag. Thematically appropriate, that was.

The one Halloween task completed in the apartment was the decorations---unlike _some_ of his friends, Eric Matthews was always well-prepared for a haunt. He even had the shaking and jittery hands down, all full of haunting! And a costume, of course, because he planned ahead. The white drapery and black eyes went great with the shaking, but was there another reason he had so much energy?. He'd sent Rachel and Jack to their tasks with a laugh, promising them that they'd return to a perfectly festive fright that evening. And if he'd set the trail for Jack just right? If all went according to plan? His best friend would return early, and then the real fun could begin. He rubbed his hands together, seeking both warmth and the thrill of anticipation.

Fortunately for Eric, Jack was the first to return to the apartment that evening. He'd managed to string together an acceptable vampire costume on his way---no fangs, but a bit of powder gave him a white face, he had all the black and red, and those curtains in Mrs. Matthews' bin made an acceptably batty cape. He stepped into the dark apartment, set his stuffed trash bags on the floor, and flicked on the light. The apartment remained dark. He tried again..still dark. Only a trickle of moonlight from the balcony window lingered in the room, and even that beam of light flickered with the interruption of another shadow..

"Jack...Jaaaaaack," moaned a sudden voice in his ear. Whoa! Jack jumped nearly a foot in the air, whipping his head to the side to face...well, he could barely spot the whites of a ghost costume in the minimal light. White sheet and a completely unsettling black-eyed mask. In proper lighting it would look entirely ridiculous, but after last year's incident...well, he couldn't be blamed if he was a little more cautious than usual, except, oh wait. Right. Eric. He could give him a few points for creativity there, but where was this going?

"Okay, who the hell are you supposed to be and why are you here?" Jack demanded, playing the role for now. If Eric had to mock-frighten him to have a good time...well, so be it. He'd play along if it would get him those pumpkin cookies he'd put at the top of the shopping list. Jack tried to sound fake-tough, with just a hint of fear played up. It would make him happy, right?

"I....oooh, it's the ghost of witches past," Eric's voice whispered, circling around his friend. "Here, on yonder balcony in the moonlight---here is where the devil comes to dance. And he wants only one thing, Jack Hunter...he wants...you," Eric had to be tiptoeing toward him, it had to be ridiculous, but in this light it almost looked like floating. Almost. Shrouded arms lifted to circle their prey. With that black-eyed mask it looked more like he wanted to suck Jack's life out than anything. Playing the role of the mark, Jack backed up a bit. A bit more...and he soon found himself backing onto that familiar balcony.

Eric seemed emboldened by his success. He stepped up his swaying, barely able to contain his laughter, and somehow he had Jack pinned to the railing in a moment. Here, he paused to remove his mask, revealing disheveled hair and a delighted grin. "Mmm, so good Jack," he grinned by his ear. "Who's the prettiest sacrifice? Shame about what we'll have to do..."

"What the---what?" Okay, this was weird even by Eric Matthews standards. An uncertain laugh rose in Jack's throat and promptly died upon feeling his friend's breath on his ear. Eric was being his usual silly self, on one hand, but on the other...was he leaning closer than usual? Was all that swaying for something other than ghosting? Nah, couldn't be. Or...could it? Something about this was making it hard to argue. Maybe it was the moonlight. Something about it made Eric look...what was that word? Handsome. And Jack could almost see himself playing this game. Almost kissing him. But meanwhile---

" I'm possessed, I tell you," Eric repeated, though he bore a.rather intense contemplative expression by his standards. Thinking? Or was it something else? "The madness is in my eyes. Satan's tail rises again! And with it, the curse, the all-consuming desire to consume..." he whispered, leaning in like he never had before. But when Jack's only reaction was to press further back against the railing and breathe harder, another change came over him. Suddenly, Eric's movements were jerkier. "It's happening again! The she-devil wants to kill you! Stay away from me!" He backed up, nearly tripping over himself as he rolled to lean against the balcony at Jack's side.

All of this, naturally, left Jack with some confusing thoughts. He glanced to the side, at Eric desperately catching his breath. What was that about? Clearly this was some kind of game, but through it...was Eric saying what he thought he was saying. That look. It was looking possible that Eric wanted something from him he'd maybe thought about sometime...something he usually wanted from girls...and what the hell. Jack could say he was going mad too, because he was kind of seeing it. Eric was---was he really thinking this? Eric Matthews was kind of attractive. And if he was honest...very attractive. Something he'd been fond of for a while in ways that were hard to fathom, someone he needed to keep happy. Jack's mind had to be halfway gone if he was thinking of all this, so he might as well roll with it. And the madness-inducing balcony was the perfect excuse.

Eric ruffled his blond hair, making a futile attempt to shift it back into place. He laughed a little more uneasily than usual as he took a tentative glance at Jack. "Okay, curse over! Good thing I've still got my lucky stuff," he noted, tugging a rabbit's foot out of his pocket. "She had me going for a minute...ffft. Like I'd be doing that stuff with you, right?"

"Right," Jack answered, surprising himself. He folded his arms and gave Eric that Look of disbelief...with a little something else that could be desire mixed in this time. "You're not possessed, man. I don't see any witches out here, and didn't you beat them like it was nothing before?"

That wasn't how this was supposed to go. Eric's laugh hit a high note, nerves getting the better of him. "Yeah...yeah I did, huh? Weird that they got me this year...but then I got you and your brother out. That was fun" 

"Yeah...yeah it was," Jack answered, grinning broadly. "I was proud of you. Shawn wasn't. After that weird thing with the slime in his room he wouldn't talk to me for a week. But you're a smart guy, you beat the witches, and I know you're not possessed," he insisted, stepping close to Eric and gripping the rail on either side of him. He was going to put a stop to this, and he was going to do it now.

"You really think I'm smart?" Eric was astonished. And still trying to edge away from Jack, looking more than a little worried..

"Yeah, I think so, but I might have to take it back in a minute," Jack muttered, tugging on that silly sheet to force Eric to look at him. "If you can't figure out what I'm trying to tell you."

"What, that I'm an idiot and my plans are stupid? Man, I really thought I'd fooled you," Well...it had to be that, right? Eric had heard of his failures plenty of times before. 

"...not arguing that one. But you can't hide what you're thinking when I'm thinking the same thing," Jack said softly, shifting his hands up to Eric's shoulders. "You hear me yet?"

"What, the part about the witches? Or the smarts? Or that I like---" He couldn't quite finish that one. No way, right? He could still laugh his way out of this, right?

No chance. Before Eric could say another word, Jack pulled him forward into a crushing kiss. Eric's arms flailed under that sheet, but with some difficulty he managed to cling to Jack and kiss back. He was every bit as good at this as he'd imagined, that annoyingly perfect smile fitting far too well with his. And with all that working out they were both doing? They were hot. This was good. Really good, actually, he thought, squeezing Jack to him like he was an oversized teddy bear.

"Watch the ribs, man!" Jack hissed against his cheek. Okay, maybe that was a bit _too_ tight. Eric slid back against the rail with a sheepish laugh, the one that used to drive Jack mad. Still drove him mad, in fact---but in a happier way. Eric was rewarded with an affectionate shoulder-shove, and after a minute of grinning like fools their brains finally rebooted.

"Man, you are too good," Eric complained as he seized Jack's hand. "That's why I gave up competing with you." 

"So if you can't beat me...you'll take me?" Jack asked, gently tugging Eric to the door. "Gotta say it again: you're a lot smarter than anybody gives you credit for. Even when you're an idiot"

"Yes! And for my next act of genius..." Eric laughed, yanking them to a stop and whirling Jack around for another kiss. His turn now, and wow was it good. He propped a hand on Jack's back just right to tip him slightly...oh yeah, he could be every bit as devilishly charming. He'd prove it, lingering long enough to hear a pleased noise from Jack. All right, score one for Eric!

"All right, genius," Jack said breathlessly. "Let's get you inside. And get something to eat. Hey, food should be here now, right?"

"It'll be the cherry on the cake. If Rachel read the list right, anyway," Eric laughed, swinging the door wide open and eagerly tugging Jack through. They'd have a great night, yes, but the cake would have to wait.

 

\---

Rachel arrived a short while later, her arms overloaded with an overflowing bag of treats. Thin and wormy cheesy poofs, dirt pudding littered with candy gravestones, and some special blood-red wine for the occasion. She leaned against the door to support her weight, blew a cobweb out of her face, and hollered. "Guys, open up! Food's here!" 

They didn't answer. Now that was strange. She could hear the piercing screams of a horror movie blaring from the television on the other side of the door, but they lacked the usual echo from Eric's screams or the bark of Jack's incessant laughter. Oh, the boys were there, she'd heard something from the balcony on the way in, but they weren't paying attention...and after a moment of thought, it clicked. Clearly they were paying attention to something far more exciting than Dracula and wouldn't appreciate her contribution tonight. Ah well. Surely Angela and Topanga (and their boyfriends) could eat all of this?

She turned to depart, but not without slipping a small note under the door. 'Congrats, guys, about time. I'm out with the girls and your munchies, see you tomorrow! Love, Rachel'

Oh, she couldn't _wait_ to see them in the morning.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Halloween! It's been fun to explore a new ship, and I really hope you like it.


End file.
